Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon

Touting the “ingenuity of Wyoming people and in particular Star Valley people,” Governor Mark Gordon reached out Friday morning to offer a word of encouragement to the faculty of Etna Elementary.

“Nobody ever anticipated” teachers and administrators having “to reach out to students” in the way Wyoming educators have in the wake of a pandemic, the governor said during a unique zoom conference from his office at the state Capitol.

Recalling addressing an economics class at Star Valley High School a few years ago, Gov. Gordon called students and educators from Lincoln County School District #2 a “bright, dedicated good group of people.”

The zoom meeting, which also included Chief of Staff Buck McVeigh and school superintendent Matt Erickson, came as schools across the state enter the final month of alternative education due to COVID-19. More than 3,000 district students have continued with education via online and other means.

“I know you have gone through some incredibly tough circumstances,” Gov. Gordon stated, while speaking of the flexibility given to “counties and school districts to be able to think about how you bring kids back to school [in the fall].”

“We’re hoping that every district gets a plan put together” to be looked at over the summer, he continued, adding that such plans would be refined, “knowing that we can be safe and knowing that educational content can be delivered.”

Gov. Gordon told the Etna faculty that later in the day there were plans to talk “with the legislature about if there’s any opportunities we can have to enhance school infrastructure. By that I mean if there are things that we can do that are COVID-related that will help make school better.”

Continuing, the governor declared that the “efforts we went to have flattened the curve” and Wyoming is one of the lowest in the nation in terms of COVID-19 cases. “We’re the lowest in number of deaths. I’m happy about that.

“Even though people are criticizing us for maybe doing too much, the fact that we’re in that place, and we never issued a shelter-in-place, and we relied on the good people of Wyoming to show common sense [and] they did,” Gov. Gordon said. “They have risen to the challenge, and I am very proud of that.”

As he concluded his remarks, he declared: “Thank you. Keep up the good work. You guys are amazing. Star Valley. Lincoln County. We have lots of work to do. You will be our shining stars.”

As the meeting ended, several thanked Gov. Gordon for his time and for his leadership in a time of crisis. “We appreciate the fact that you’re in a difficult position trying to manage the interests of so many constituencies, and we appreciate it,” one zoom participant commented.